The Benefits of intermodal Transportation

The Benefits of intermodal Transportation

January 18, 2023

Governmental officials in South Carolina are investing in freight infrastructure at Port Charleston. Upon completion, South Carolina will become a much more viable international shipping port that enables intermodal transportation of goods throughout the southeastern United States.

Whether you are shipping goods across the country or around the globe, various transportation methods are typically used. When you use more than one kind of conveyance to get your goods to their intended market, you enjoy the benefits of intermodal shipping.

intermodal transportation refers to the variety of conveyances that can transport your goods from their point of manufacture to their final market destinations. The benefits of intermodal transportation are many, including more rapid transit and a greater potential for accurately determining how long it will take for goods to go from point A to point B.

Examples and intermodal Transportation Systems

Port facilities continually accept cargo that is situated inside of shipping containers. When unloaded from ocean-going vessels, those shipping containers wind up on the back of commercial trucks and rail lines for shipment to various locations that might be hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

Commonly used intermodal transportation systems typically use:

  • Commercial trucks
  • Railroads
  • Cargo aircraft
  • Vessels
  • Warehouses

Railroads and vessels can transport very large quantities of goods to regional areas. From there, commercial trucks can transport those goods to local markets for final distribution to their intended customers.

Some goods are very important and require very rapid transportation. Commercial aircraft is the best way to get very important products from one point to another.

Warehouses are an important part of intermodal transportation systems because they make it possible to ship goods to local markets. Some even enable distribution directly to individuals and families instead of going through a retailer.  

Advantages of intermodal Shipping

intermodal shipping enables the supply chain to operate continuously. It keeps goods on the move around the clock with very little downtime.

When goods are constantly moving, they reach their markets much faster, more efficiently, and for less money than it would cost with lengthy layovers. The continual movement of goods also helps to limit damage and loss.

Why Should I Use intermodal Transportation?

The advantages of intermodal transportation include real-time tracking to know exactly where your goods are at any given moment. Technology combined with efficient intermodal transportation greatly enables commerce.

Something unforeseen might intervene, like extreme weather events, port shutdowns, or laborer strikes that sometimes cripple transportation systems for a while. Barring such occurrences, you can confidently determine realistic shipping times and schedules and share them with your clients and customers.

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